


The Oath-Taking

by Monsterunderkilt



Series: The Manse [46]
Category: Actor RPF, Celebrities - Fandom, RPF - Fandom, Real Person Fanfic - Fandom, Real Person Fiction
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28907235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monsterunderkilt/pseuds/Monsterunderkilt
Summary: The Manse-dwellers watch the Inauguration
Series: The Manse [46]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1209447
Kudos: 1





	The Oath-Taking

Wednesday morning, after a pre-celebratory brunch of krumkake waffles and blueberries in the Manse kitchen, Jon, Stephen, and I sit on the living room sofa together and start to watch the inauguration pre-show. Thigh-to-thigh and thigh-to-thigh, I sit between them, all of us on the edge of our collective seat, squeezing each other’s hands in anticipation. We’re all a bit slightly dressed up for the occasion. Stephen has an actual blue dinner jacket over his usual button-down shirt, Jon is in a heather gray polo instead of his usual heather gray t-shirt, and I decided on a black with white polka-dotted turtleneck and scarlet red accordion skirt. We’re all barefoot.

Like the nerds we are, we squee like BTS fangirls as we point out the familiar mask-covered faces amongst the gathering crowd and make comments on everyone’s winter outfits.

“OHMYGOD Ella Emhoff’s coat is TIGHT!” Stephen says, taking the words right out of my mouth.

“Yes, she gets first prize,” I say, drooling over her bedazzled shoulders. “I want Dr. Jill’s coat as well, and I wish I could wear that shade of purple like Michelle has and holy shit Kamala is superindigo or something.”

Jon sighs happily and picks up his arm to wrap it around my shoulders. He gives my temple a quick, hard kiss and smiles at the TV. “I’m just so relieved that sanity is in fashion again.”

“Mother of God, did I miss anything‽” Joliver yells out as he leaps over the back of the sofa to land beside Jon. He’s the most dressed of us all—full suit and tie (still no shoes)—but as soon as he lands on the cushion, he pops open a bag of white cheddar popcorn. “Holy shit, is that Bernie looking like he’s gotten lost on his way to the corner store for a carton of milk?”

“Yes, indeed it is,” I confirm. “Don’t get any of that cheddar dust on my sofa, you.”

Joliver yanks a hankie out of his jacket pocket and places it over his lap like a napkin. “All set, Madam.”

Soon enough, people start coming out to sing and we can’t help but stand for all the songs. At one point we all just want to hug Lady Gaga for her Schiaparelli and the enormous bird on her chest.

Just as the fine folks of the hour start descending upon the podium and Justice Sotomayor prepares, Sir Ken steps in front of us with a tray of tea and biscuits.

“I just thought you’d all like some refreshments—”

“Shhhhhhhh Ken, you make a better door than a window!” I say, reaching out to gently shoo him to my left, where Stephen guides him to quickly sit down.

_“I, Kamala Devi Harris do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States...”_

We Americans all hold our breath as we watch, and less than a minute later, just like that, we have a new VP.

“Shite, did I miss it‽” Alan squeaks as he runs into the room.

“SHHHH!” we all yell, waving our hands.

“Sit down, Joe is next!” I say, feeling Jon’s arm tug me closer and Stephen’s hand squeeze tighter.

Alan sits Indian-style on the floor in front of Ken and gently claps his hands.

“Oh FUCK it’s happening isn’t it?” Tilda swears from behind us in the kitchen.

“Hurry up, sit down!” Alan says, waving her over to the spot on the sofa on the other side of Ken.

Finally, the moment arrives, the one we’ve all been waiting for since 2016. The Manse goes silent.

_“I, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States...”_

I am the only one able to tear my eyes off the screen for a few moments in order to glance around at the rapt faces surrounding me. Tilda and Ken watch with a bemused attention while Alan smiles and blinks so rapidly I wonder if he’s on drugs. Stephen takes off his glasses to wipe at his eyes, but smiles all the same. Joliver is emphatically nodding as if he’s standing at the Wailing Wall.

Surprisingly, Jon’s gaze suddenly meets mine. In a split second, we share a pure unspoken acknowledgment of the dark days we had endured and somehow survived. We’d been through awful weirdness before, and had hoped that the worst was behind us, but we had been naive and wrong.A crack in time is filled with the five long years since he left _The Daily Show_ and everything seemed to go to hell from there. One more second, and I feel the heat of tears behind my eyes. At the third second, Jon’s hands capture my face and pull me into a breathtaking kiss the likes of which we hadn’t known since the earliest days of our marriage... in another age. In that kiss, I revisit a sense of calm and stability I last knew at the end of my third decade on this earth.

Just as Uncle Joe finishes his oath, I melt into Jon’s arms and come back to earth, hearing everyone cheer around us. Stephen joins our hug, laying fifteen kisses on the side of my face as Joliver hops up and down, dancing with Alan, leaving poor Ken and Tilda to watch us and laugh.

“You Americans,” Ken says, shaking his head. “You are so... what do you say? So... _extra_.”


End file.
